The testimony of Mrs. Henrietta M. Ross was taken at 6:50 p.m., on March 25, 1964, at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Tex., by Mr. Arlen Specter, assistant counsel of the President's Commission.
Mr. SPECTER - May the record show that the oath has been administered to Mrs. Henrietta Ross who is appearing here in response to a letter request to testify as part of the inquiry of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, which involves the, treatment of President Kennedy and Governor Connally at Parkland Hospital.
Mrs. Ross has been asked to appear and testify concerning her knowledge about the stretcher cart on which Governor Connally was transported while in the hospital.
Mr. SPECTER - With that preliminary statement, I'll ask you, Mrs. Ross, to state your full name?
Mrs. ROSS - Mrs. Henrietta Magnolia Ross.
Mr. SPECTER - And where are you employed?
Mrs. ROSS - Parkland Hospital.
Mr. SPECTER - In what capacity?
Mrs. ROSS - Operating room technician.
Mr. SPECTER - And what were your duties on November 22, 1963?
Mrs. ROSS - Stand in the hall and guard the. hall and not let anyone pass by I did not know.
Mr. SPECTER - Did you have occasion to see Governor Connally?
Mrs. ROSS - Yes; as he came down the hall on the cart.
Mr. SPECTER - Did you see him as he left the elevator?
Mrs. ROSS - Yes.
Mr. SPECTER - About what time was that?
Mrs. ROSS - About--it should have been after 1 o'clock because I was supposed to go to a class that day and I couldn't go.
Mr. SPECTER - Who was with him at the time, if anyone?
Mrs. ROSS - There were doctors all around in the corridor and I don't know exactly who--I only remember one person and that was Dr. Gustafason, because he gave me his coat to hang up as he was passing.
Mr. SPECTER - Was Miss Jane Wester there?
Mrs. ROSS - She was up there; yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER - And what did you see them do with the Governor, if anything?
Mrs. ROSS - They pushed him down in front of room 5 and onto the operating table and put him on it.
Mr. SPECTER - What were they pushing him on?
Mrs. ROSS - On a stretcher from the emergency room.
Mr. SPECTER - Will you describe the stretcher for me, please, starting with what was it made of?
Mrs. ROSS - It has four legs, four wheels and has a little rubber sheet on it. I mean, a rubber mattress, and the length of the normal body is the length of the cart.
Mr. SPECTER - Is it made of metal?
Mrs. ROSS - Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER - And what was done with the stretcher cart after they rolled Governor Connally off of it?
Mrs. ROSS - It was pushed back up toward room 3.
Mr. SPECTER - Is that toward the elevator?
Mrs. ROSS - Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER - And by whom was it pushed?
Mrs. ROSS - Jimison.
Mr. SPECTER - R. J. Jimison?
Mrs. ROSS - I don't know Jimison's initials, sir.
Mr. SPECTER - He's one of the orderlies there?
Mrs. ROSS - Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER - And where did you last see the stretcher?
Mrs. ROSS - In front of room 3.
Mr. SPECTER - Did Jimison have it in his control at that time?
Mrs. ROSS - The last time I looked he was pushing it; yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER - Have you talked to the Secret Service about this?
Mrs. ROSS - Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER - On how many occasions?
Mrs. ROSS - One time.
Mr. SPECTER - Did you talk to anyone else from the Federal Government about this matter?
Mrs. ROSS - No, sir.
Mr. SPECTER - Do you have anything to add which you think might be helpful to the Commission?
Mrs. ROSS - No, sir.
Mr. SPECTER - Thank you very much for appearing.
Mrs. ROSS - Thank you.